Raúl Orlando Edwards has the honorable distinction of receiving recognition from four consecutive City of Houston's Mayors - Brown, White, Parker, and Turner. An artistic vision he fulfills through the arts - is reflected in a portfolio that features performing, cuisine, education/community, public speaking and other areas; showcasing his firm conviction of using the arts to positively impact people in the Greater Houston Area and beyond. Arriving in Houston in 1995, his citywide impact was soon felt. In 1998 - three years after moving to Houston - he established the City's first official salsa studio and since then, has led the way others in the field would follow. He has been involved in over 100 community and arts initiatives promoting health, cultural diversity, inclusion, equality, healthy eating, and other social issues. ​He is the recipient of awards and commendations from civic, private, and governmental entities which in addition to praising his dedication to bettering our communities, confirm that this type of vision is very much needed in today's society. Among these is the prestigious Jefferson Award - one of the highest honors presented to individuals for outstanding community service at a local and national level; he was one of 12 Houstonians to receive the local award in a year. With awards and recognition come responsibilities. The lack of representation and inclusion in Houston's Latin American art scene, inspired him to launch FLAMART (Featuring Latin American Music and ART) in 2006; with the mission of presenting and celebrating all groups that make up Latin culture with the dignity and respect they deserve. In 2008 Foundation for Modern Music invited him to lead the organization and in so, combining both entities, in less than two years, he increased audience attendance from less than 600 to over 7,500 annual attendees! This reputation of 'making it happen' led to an invitation from Rice University Boniuk Institute in 2017 to launch Arts of Tolerance, an outreach program using the arts to educate and share the message of tolerance and inclusion. In his three years as its Executive Director, he led the organization in over 30 collaborations reaching over 17,000 in audience (the program was suspended in the summer of 2020 due to the COVID19 pandemic). Raúl's work impact is a reflection of his broad professional experiences which range from being an award winning Budget & Accounting Technician with the U.S. Army to working in the food industry to educational institutions to national event promotions agency, and others; in all, providing him with a plethora of knowledge and challenges that tested his ability to improvise, adapt and execute the mission at hand with high quality results which was featured on the national broadcast of NBC Nightly News on October 2, 2021. Radio, television and printed press have collectively featured his work over 75 times, with awards and recommendations in equal numbers. A  commanding 100 plus number of staged productions from coast to coast summarize the community and artistic ingenuity he possesses, showcasing the character and motivating source that has become his life's mission. In his free time he explores visual arts; volunteers for community events; engages in cuisine conversations with foodies and chefs; partakes in fitness activities; travels and learns of other cultures, and enjoys a robust glass of red wine with friends.